More Studies in the Psalms - Week 4

November 30 ~ Psalm 145:14-21
14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck,
gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.

15 All eyes are on you, expectant;
you give them their meals on time.

16 Generous to a fault,
you lavish your favor on all creatures.

17 Everything God does is right—
the trademark on all his works is love.

18 God's there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it.

19 He does what's best for those who fear him—
hears them call out, and saves them.

20 God sticks by all who love him,
but it's all over for those who don't.

21 My mouth is filled with God's praise.
Let everything living bless him,
bless his holy name from now to eternity!

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Here we are at the end of November. Many of us have already put Thanksgiving behind us and looked ahead toward Christmas! But let’s take one more day to focus on how blessed we are. Oh, sure… we have problems – and maybe things look pretty bleak for you at the moment. But read this passage again. God gives a hand to those down on their luck and a fresh start to those ready to quit! God gives us meals on time, He hears us when we pray, and He always does what is best for us. More than that… God sticks by us… He hears us call out and saves us.

Do you get it? No matter how bad things may seem right now, God can help – and He will if you call on Him and mean it! You have to mean it, and you have to believe that He will answer. He will do the rest.

So stop what you are doing and thank God for loving you so well. Thank Him for what He has done – and what He is going to do in your life. Praise Him for blessings given that you don’t deserve and never, ever doubt His love for you. Keep the faith, keep praising and thanking God… and then watch Him work in your life. It’s gonna be amazing, I just know it! To God be all the glory… amen!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 29 ~ Psalm 145:8-13
8 God is all mercy and grace—
not quick to anger, is rich in love.

9 God is good to one and all;
everything he does is suffused with grace.

10-11 Creation and creatures applaud you, God;
your holy people bless you.
They talk about the glories of your rule,
they exclaim over your splendor,

12 Letting the world know of your power for good,
the lavish splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal;
you never get voted out of office.

God always does what he says,
and is gracious in everything he does.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

We hear a lot about God’s grace, but do we fully understand it? I know I really had no clue about the grace of God until a few years ago. Until I experienced the Walk to Emmaus and heard several people speak about God’s grace and how it plays out daily in their lives, I didn’t even begin to understand what it entails. At Emmaus I learned about prevenient grace… the grace of God that allows us the opportunity to get to know Him. We’ve talked in recent Psalms about how God knew us even before we were formed in our mother’s womb. Now I understand that long before I was born, He was gracious toward me in planning for my future and giving me opportunities to get to know Him.

I also learned about God’s justifying grace. God sent His only Son to die on the cross for my sins so that I might be able to spend eternity in heaven with Him. Now THAT’s grace – and I certainly did not deserve it, but then, that’s why it’s called “grace!” And then I learned about sanctifying grace. Once we surrender to Christ and begin to follow Him, we still need God’s grace to help us stay on the right path. We need His grace and mercy as we face down the devil each and every day – and He generously grants it!

God lavishes grace on us – all kinds of grace, according to what we need at the time. He isn’t fickle – He doesn’t love us one day and desert us the next. He never takes a vacation. His wallet is never empty and He never runs out of time for His children. God’s grace is abundant, always available, and always enough. To Him be the glory for loving us so well.

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 28 ~ Psalm 145:1-7
1 I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I'll bless your name into eternity.
2 I'll bless you every day,
and keep it up from now to eternity.
3 God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough.
There are no boundaries to his greatness.
4 Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
each one tells stories of your mighty acts.
5 Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking;
I compose songs on your wonders.
6 Your marvelous doings are headline news;
I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.
7 The fame of your goodness spreads across the country;
your righteousness is on everyone's lips.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

All you have to do is check out at the grocery store, and you are bombarded with the magazines and tabloid newspapers that give us all sorts of useless drivel that passes for “news.” We know so much about so little… and our appetite for it seems unending.

With all of the technology we have today, spreading news worldwide can happen in what seems like a nanosecond. In the psalmist’s day, it took a little longer. Spreading the fame of God’s goodness across the country may not seem so daunting to us… but even with all of our capabilities to do so, are we really speaking of God as often as we should? Are we praising Him every day and recognizing His goodness? Are we passing to future generations the message of how God has worked in our own lives and that of our families and friends?

Do we really realize how magnificent God is – and is the news of His marvelous doings “headline news” in our vernacular? It should be! It should be the most important topic of conversation… the thought we dwell on each day. Praising God and recognizing His blessings in our life should be the first words out of our mouths. We can talk for days and weeks about our favorite football and basketball teams, politics, the environment and the economy… but when it comes to talking about God and His mighty works, we clam up and have very little to contribute. And it can be that way… but we have to take the first step and change our mindset – and our focus. We may have to work at it at first, but over time, it will come more easily.

The more you focus on God… the more you talk about Him… the more you share how He has blessed your life with others… the more it will become second nature to you… and sharing God’s righteousness will be ever on the tip of your tongue. God is more than worthy of our praise… let’s give Him His due!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 27 ~ Psalm 143:10-12
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.
11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.
12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies
and destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

I did not specifically pick this passage for today, but I don’t think it could be more appropriate. Wouldn’t this make a wonderful start to our Thanksgiving prayers today? On a day when we pause to be thankful for all of God’s blessings, wouldn’t it be great to humble ourselves before Him as His servants? This is the perfect day to ask God to teach us to do His will, to silence our enemies and put us on a firm forward footing in our efforts to glorify His name! I pray that your Thanksgiving Day is a blessed one – that the food is satisfying, the fellowship with others gives you joy, and that God is glorified and praised all day long.

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 26 ~ Psalm 143:7-9
7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,
for my depression deepens.
Don’t turn away from me,
or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
for I give myself to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I run to you to hide me.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

I don’t have a clue what your circumstances are today. I don’t know who among you feels like this passage was written just for you and describes your situation to a “T”. But I do know that the last three sentences apply to all of us. God will show us where to walk if we give ourselves over to Him. He will rescue us from our enemies. If we run to God, He will hide us from Satan and protect us.

My prayer for you today is that you would call on God to come quickly and answer your needs. Run to God. Trust Him, and hide in the shelter of His loving arms. He will show you where to walk. He will answer your prayers and rescue you. His love truly is unfailing, and for that we can all be truly thankful!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 25 ~ Psalm 143:1-6
1-2 Listen to this prayer of mine, God; pay attention to what I'm asking.
Answer me—you're famous for your answers!
Do what's right for me.
But don't, please don't, haul me into court;
not a person alive would be acquitted there.

3-6 The enemy hunted me down;
he kicked me and stomped me within an inch of my life.
He put me in a black hole,
buried me like a corpse in that dungeon.
I sat there in despair, my spirit draining away,
my heart heavy, like lead.
I remembered the old days,
went over all you've done, pondered the ways you've worked,
Stretched out my hands to you,
as thirsty for you as a desert thirsty for rain.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

I know this seems like a weird scripture passage for a few days before Thanksgiving, but let’s look at it again. The psalmist is in deep despair. He says the enemy has hunted him down and stomped him within an inch of his life! Do you ever feel that way? Maybe this describes how you are feeling now… you are facing finals, a money squeeze, and a holiday weekend with far-flung family members! Maybe you are trying to figure out how you will bake everything in the oven on time and where you will park Aunt Martha while she visits! Maybe you are headed home from college and you know your grades are not as great as hoped, and you still have to get through a barrage of questions from Mom and Dad and the relatives about “how is school going?” – not to mention finals when you get back to school. Maybe, like some among us, you are approaching the holidays minus a loved one who has passed recently – or someone you love is sick and/or hospitalized. Maybe you are alone, and you are dreading this weekend and the constant reminders at every turn of family and “togetherness.”

The GOOD NEWS is that, while not a single one of us is exempt from the fallout of dealing with the enemy (sin), we CAN stretch out our hands to God and expect an answer. Notice I didn’t say that we will get the answer we want – but we WILL get an answer. No matter what your situation, no matter how heavy your heart, how drained your spirit, remember the mighty works of God… how His goodness, grace and mercy wash over us. Call on God in prayer – humbly approach Him and lay out your troubles and the concerns of your heart before Him. He wants to hear from you – He is listening – He WILL answer!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 24 ~ Psalm 139:23-24
23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I'm about;
See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

I love a good courtroom drama. I am always intrigued by the deliveries of the opposing counsels… the cleverness of some of their questions… the summaries and closing arguments. I guess that’s why I collect John Grisham’s books. Many of them include a trial at some point, or some legalese… and it is always so well-conceived and brilliantly presented. In real life, the word “trial” sends shivers down our spines… none of us ever hopes to end up in court for any reason. Even jury duty is enough to make some of us squirm! The thought of being investigated, tested, and cross-examined makes us uneasy at best, and for some, this could be disastrous. I heard Governor Mike Huckabee interviewing actor Kelsey Grammer on television, and he asked Grammer if he would ever run for office. Grammer’s reply was, “I have far too many skeletons in my closet for that!”

Imagine if we were afraid to get close to God because of the skeletons in OUR closets… our sins. Imagine if the thought of being thoroughly investigated and cross-examined by God made us squirm. Maybe it does! But honestly, we should be completely comfortable with an examination by God. If He finds anything wrong, we should hope He would reveal it to us and show us how to correct the problem. We should want His guidance and thorough study of our lives, so that we are pointed in the right direction toward eternity with Him!

Don’t be afraid to ask God to examine your life. Be an “open book” for Him, and listen for His “report.” Stay closely attuned to God and listening for His evaluation, then be ready to put His recommendations for improvement into effect!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 23 ~ Psalm 139:17-22
17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I'll never comprehend them!
I couldn't even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
And please, God, do away with wickedness for good!
And you murderers—out of here!—
all the men and women who belittle you, God,
infatuated with cheap god-imitations.
See how I hate those who hate you, God,
see how I loathe all this godless arrogance;
I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred.
Your enemies are my enemies!

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Have you ever sat on a beach and run your fingers and toes through the sand, watching the endless grains sift back into the water or onto the ground? The activity is at once relaxing, awe-inspiring, and mesmerizing! To think of all of those tiny grains of sand, and yet God knows each one and placed it right there – in that spot – at that particular time… and to realize that He cares about US with just as much attention to detail is beyond comprehension!

At first glance, this seems like a really harsh passage… all that talk of hating enemies and godless arrogance. But really, it’s a passage of love… love for God – and loyalty. In other words, the psalmist is saying that he will not pay any attention to those who belittle God or worship other “gods.” He is saying that they don’t even register on his radar screen. He is not wishing ill on them… but rather he is choosing not to recognize them in favor of the God whose creativity and power is more vast than the grains of sand.

I had never really thought about GOD’s thoughts as being rare and beautiful… but when you stop to consider that there is none other who can begin to have thoughts anywhere near the same level as His, these words truly do fit! When you consider the amazing, rare, beautiful vastness of God’s thoughts – about us and each of His creatures, wanting to rise and live with Him is pretty much a no-brainer, isn’t it? Loving God totally inevitably equals loathing those who would choose otherwise – not with a sinful sense of hate, but in the context of “I’m not going there!” Free will keeps God from doing away with others’ choice, but how will you choose? I hope you will choose to love God completely. Truly “don’t go there.” Choose loving God and walking with Him - and enjoy all of His blessings each and every day.

©2008 Debbie Robus

More Studies in the Psalms - Week 3

November 22 ~ Psalm 139:13-16
13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Have you seen the Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life? In this movie, George Bailey gets a chance to see what life would be like in his home town, Bedford Falls, if he had never been born. His guardian angel, Clarence, takes him around the town, and he gets to observe people he knows – his parents and family members, his wife and children (although they are not HIS wife and children, since he was never born!), and the people who live and work in Bedford Falls.

Can you imagine what it would be like to know everything about someone even before they were born… to see it spread out before you and to be able to see every single minute of every day, from before conception to death and into eternity? I can’t even begin to wrap my brain around that! But that is just exactly how it is for God… and not for just you and me, but for all of His children, past, present and future. It’s mind boggling, isn’t it? And yet, with all of that to do, God took time to shape and form each of us perfectly. He took time and energy to create each of us uniquely and with purpose… and to know us inside and out!

We will never be that special to anyone else… EVER! And honestly, that is what makes our relationship with God so wonderful… it is beyond comparison… 100% unique! So now that I’ve reminded you how special you are, don’t you feel better? Thank God today for loving you like no other could… and for making you so marvelously breathtaking!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 21 ~ Psalm 139:7-12
7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you're there!
If I go underground, you're there!
If I flew on morning's wings
to the far western horizon,
You'd find me in a minute—
you're already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I'm immersed in the light!"
It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you;
night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

When my nieces and nephews were babies, one of our favorite games to play was what we called “Peep-eye.” It’s a silly little game, but you cover the baby – or yourself with a blanket, and then say, “Where did Johnny go? Where’s Johnny?” And then one of you pulls the blanket away and yells, “Peep-eye!” Usually the baby laughs and thinks this is funny and wants to do it again right away. As children get older, they enjoy playing “Hide and Seek.” It is always funny to watch children hunker down in a spot that is clearly visible to the seeker, yet they firmly believe they are so well hidden that nobody will EVER find them!

Imagine how God must laugh sometimes when we try to hide from Him. There may also be times when He is not so amused that we are trying to hide. Certainly He was not amused when Adam and Eve tried to hide from Him in the Garden of Eden after they had sinned. And honestly, THAT story alone should have been lesson enough to us that we can never hide from God. But still we try, it seems.

It’s time to put away the childish games and stop trying to hide from God. We can’t in the first place, and all we do is look even more foolish. There is no place we can hide from God, and quite frankly, why would we want to? Remember, our lives are like an open book to Him… He knows EVERYTHING! And still He loves us. So come out of the dark, pull away the blanket, and be real with God. He’s waiting to love us and bless us, and all we are doing with our antics is wasting precious time and energy. Wherever “there” is… God is already waiting! Run to Him now… and snuggle up in His arms.

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 20 ~ Psalm 139:1-6
1-6 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.
I'm an open book to you;
even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
I'm never out of your sight.
You know everything I'm going to say
before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you're there,
then up ahead and you're there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
I can't take it all in!

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

My sister is studying at ASU-Heber Springs/Searcy to get her AA degree in Medical Records & Health Information Technology. She is into the “core” coursework now, and she is learning a lot of information in a short period of time – and she has a lot of tests. In one course, her tests are “open book.” I think it is a “coding” course, where she learns the various codes for filing insurance claims. She says the information is so complex that there would be no way to test on it from memory.

Now, just because the tests are “open-book” doesn’t mean that they are easy. The information IS there, but you have to know where to look and how to find it… and this has to be done in a timely manner!

Imagine how we appear before God. Not only is our life an “open book,” and not only does He have all of the answers at His disposal, but God knows exactly where to look and how to find them! He is always on time. We look behind, and He is there… up ahead, and He is there. We meet Him coming and going!

In Wm. Paul Young’s novel, The Shack, the lead character is reminded that even when we don’t “see” or “feel” God with us, He is still there. We would do well to remind ourselves more often of this. The world might not seem as scary sometimes! God has all of the facts… and He is still with us! It does seem too wonderful to take in, but do just that! Enjoy the fact that you are never out of His sight. Let that wash over you like a warm snuggly blanket and fill you with encouragement and joy. God KNOWS us… and He stuck around anyway! Now THAT is worth celebrating!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 19 ~ Psalm 138:7-8
7-8 When I walk into the thick of trouble,
keep me alive in the angry turmoil.
With one hand
strike my foes,
With your other hand
save me.
Finish what you started in me, God.
Your love is eternal—don't quit on me now.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

I couldn’t help but think of some of the “action hero movies” when I read this passage. You know the ones, where the hero is slaying dangerous characters on all sides. He looks to his left and takes out one villain as another rises on his right, and he spins to destroy that one… just as another lunges at him from behind. And he never loses his cool. To him it’s “all in a day’s work” as he makes the world safe for the “good guys” once again.

Think about your own life. Think about the troubles that come at you every day on all sides. You probably feel like some days all you do is put out one “fire” after another. You sleep through the alarm and grab a cup of coffee on the way out the door, sloshing it as you go… then the car is hovering near “Empty” and you hope you have enough gas to get to work or school. Then somebody creeps along ahead of you on the roadway, and another cuts ahead of you in the parking lot and takes “your” spot… and you’ve not even really begun your day!

Now imagine that in each of those situations, God – our Ultimate Hero – is “slaying the dragon” at every turn. God nudges you and wakes you and sends you to the shower. God keeps you from spilling coffee all down the front of your shirt – or the car seat. God gets you to work on the fumes from an almost-empty tank of gas and to the gas station afterward. God helps you make it on time, even though the person ahead of you on the highway seems to be taking his/her own sweet time. God helps you find another parking spot and clock in on time or slide into your desk before the bell rings! With one hand, God slays your “foes” and with the other, He saves you!

We are so in our own little “zone,” and we miss most of the blessings God sends our way each day. Most of us are definitely anything but spiritually awake and alert! Oh, we recognize the “angry turmoil” alright. We know when the enemies rear their ugly heads… and we sure want God to be with us then! But when He does rescue us and save us – even from ourselves – do we recognize His presence? Do we stop to thank Him for all of the tiny, seemingly insignificant things He does every day for us that keep us “between the lines?” God NEVER quits on us, but I’m afraid we quit on Him pretty frequently. But we can do better… and we can start now! Give God praise and glory today for EVERYTHING HE does for you… thank Him for being the Ultimate Superhero… and stay mindful of His power in every moment of your life!

©2008 Debbie Robus
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November 18 ~ Psalm 138:4-6
4-6 When they hear what you have to say, God,
all earth's kings will say "Thank you."
They'll sing of what you've done:
"How great the glory of God!"
And here's why: God, high above, sees far below;
no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Last month, the weather was just right for seeing beautiful full “harvest moons” for about a week. At that time, my mother was in Maine, while I was in Arkansas. And yet, as we exchanged e-mails, we both commented on the beauty of that moon. The same moon that beamed brightly in Bar Harbor, Maine, was beaming in Heber Springs, Arkansas, just an hour or so later. The same moon that beamed on both of us, also beamed down on soldiers in the Middle East and our little boy Kodjo in Ghana.

Even more amazing, God saw all of this. He knew exactly when the moon would rise in our area – and what we would be doing when it appeared on the horizon. The same God who watches over me in Arkansas is watching over my friends in Iraq and Afghanistan, our foster child in Africa, and all the stars in the universe! To think that God knows every thing that has happened, is happening, and will happen in the future – to each and every one of us – is absolutely mind boggling to me. And yet the Bible tells us that it is so – and I know it in my heart.

How can we not be thankful? In this season of Thanksgiving, with the actual holiday only a few days away, how can we not reflect on the vastness of God… the greatness of His glory… and be thankful? God IS high above. He DOES see far below… and He DOES know everything. Sing of what He has done – and what He will do in the future. Give thanks to the Lord, for He IS good!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 17 ~ Psalm 138:1-3
1-3 Thank you! Everything in me says "Thank you!"
Angels listen as I sing my thanks.
I kneel in worship facing your holy temple
and say it again: "Thank you!"
Thank you for your love,
thank you for your faithfulness;
Most holy is your name,
most holy is your Word.
The moment I called out, you stepped in;
you made my life large with strength.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Remember that “trampling boot” we read about in Psalm 136? It’s hard to be thankful when you feel it looming largely over our heads, isn’t it?! But you know what? That is when we need to be the most thankful! That is when we need to humbly, sincerely bow in worship and thank God for His love and faithfulness. “You’ve got to be kidding!” you may be saying... “We should be MOST thankful when we’re in the shadow of a ‘trampling boot?’” Yes!

Read the last verse again… “The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength.” When things look the worst – when it seems as if there is no way out – God steps in and makes life large with strength! Now if THAT doesn’t deserve our thanks, nothing will. “Everything in me says “Thank You!” to God… most holy is His name!”

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 16 ~ Psalm 136:23-26
23-26 God remembered us when we were down,
His love never quits.
Rescued us from the trampling boot,
His love never quits.
Takes care of everyone in time of need.
His love never quits.
Thank God, who did it all!
His love never quits!

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

I am not sure who, in particular, this passage is for today, but I am quite sure it is for all of us in general. Maybe you are facing illness – your own or someone else’s. Maybe you have lost a loved one and feel hopeless and alone. Maybe you are challenged at school with a heavy course load, tests out the ears, and pressure to bring home good grades at the end of the semester. Maybe you are deployed overseas and anticipating your return stateside – and praying you stay safe and make it back in one piece. Maybe you are struggling at work – or maybe you have even lost your job. At the very least, you may be worried about bills, the economy, your health and health care coverage, your kids, your parents, your spouse, or your church. It may feel like you are standing under a giant trampling boot that is ready to come down on your head at any minute. If everything is hunky-dory in your world today, just wait… Satan will not leave you alone and happy for long!

Sound pessimistic? It would be… except for one thing… God’s love never quits! He will rescue us from the “trampling boot.” He will take care of our every need. When we are down, God will lift us. His love never quits.

Whatever you are facing today… whatever your “trampling boot,” picture God on the other side. He’s not pushing it down toward you – he is lifting it up and holding you clear of it! He is rescuing us in ways great and small each and every day. Stop and thank Him for such amazing love and care. God’s love never quits… we couldn’t ask for more than that!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 15 ~ Psalm 136:4-22
4-22 Thank the miracle-working God,
His love never quits.
The God whose skill formed the cosmos,
His love never quits.
The God who laid out earth on ocean foundations,
His love never quits.
The God who filled the skies with light,
His love never quits.
The sun to watch over the day,
His love never quits.
Moon and stars as guardians of the night,
His love never quits.
The God who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,
His love never quits.
And rescued Israel from Egypt's oppression,
His love never quits.
Took Israel in hand with his powerful hand,
His love never quits.
Split the Red Sea right in half,
His love never quits.
Led Israel right through the middle,
His love never quits.
Dumped Pharaoh and his army in the sea,
His love never quits.
The God who marched his people through the desert,
His love never quits.
Smashed huge kingdoms right and left,
His love never quits.
Struck down the famous kings,
His love never quits.
Struck Sihon the Amorite king,
His love never quits.
Struck Og the Bashanite king,
His love never quits.
Then distributed their land as booty,
His love never quits.
Handed the land over to Israel.
His love never quits.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

We’ve just come through a heated political election, where barbs and accusations were tossed back and forth as each party presented the qualifications and attributes of its candidates. In this Psalm, the writer is listing the attributes of God… all of the things He has done on our behalf. Throughout the campaign, each party presented lists of promises and programs that were supported by the particular candidate and his/her party. Pundits noted from the outset that all of these would not be fulfilled. There were arguments and discussions along the lines that each candidate’s agenda would be altered if elected – that the “real world” would merit some changes and adjustments. And ultimately, either candidate would have to face the possibility that some of their ideas and plans would have to be squelched.

Am I ever glad God is not running for office! God’s promises are sure! God NEVER quits – never backs down – never adjusts His program to fit society or the workings of a government. God always does what He says… He does not answer to congressmen and women or the public – or certainly the media! If God says He will do it, it gets done! God’s love is not conditional. It doesn’t matter if the economy is right or our allies agree or global warming is changing our environment. God still loves us! He still works on our behalf! His love NEVER quits!

I completely understand that politics are fickle. I know that there are promises made by ALL politicians that will never become law. I know there are programs that will be watered down and policies I don’t like – amendments and laws I didn’t approve and officials I didn’t elect! And in the scheme of our democracy, I can live with all of these things – or work to help effect a change. But when it comes to GOD and HIS promises, I can’t accept waffling… and thankfully I don’t have to! Dr. Seuss’s Horton said it best in Horton Hears a Who…”I meant what I said and I said what I meant… an elephant’s faithful one hundred percent.” I don’t know about elephants… but I know about God… and if He says it, He means it… God’s love NEVER quits!

©2008 Debbie Robus

More Studies in the Psalms - Week 2

November 14 ~ Psalm 136:1-3
1-3 Thank God! He deserves your thanks.
His love never quits.
Thank the God of all gods,
His love never quits.
Thank the Lord of all lords.
His love never quits.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Recently my cousin gave me a copy of a book that some of you have already read – The Shack. If you have not read this book, get a copy soon! It is readily available at stores like Wal-Mart, or maybe even in your church library. I feel certain you may want your very own copy of this compelling book. I won’t give away the story line, but I will tell you that one of the pervading themes of this book is that God never quits. He never gives up on us… and He NEVER leaves us! Especially when things seem the worst for us – when we feel like we are totally alone in a situation, God is still there… the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit are always with us even when we can’t see them or feel their presence.

I know you may wonder sometimes about God – where He is, whether He cares, why He is allowing things to happen as they do. Read The Shack and see if you don’t find some answers there. And above all else – remember this passage, and remember that God NEVER quits on our behalf. He DOES deserve our thanks and our praise. His mercies endure forever, and that will never change.

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 13 ~ Psalm 133
1-3 How wonderful, how beautiful,
when brothers and sisters get along!
It's like costly anointing oil
flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron's beard,
flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It's like the dew on Mount Hermon
flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that's where God commands the blessing,
ordains eternal life.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Have you ever seen someone anointed with oil before prayer? Maybe you have participated in an Ash Wednesday service, where you wrote down your sins on a piece of paper, and the pastor burned them and mixed the ashes with oil. Then he/she marked the sign of the Cross on your forehead with the oily mixture. This anointing is a sign of penitence and mortality. The ash in the sign of the Cross reminds us of Christ’s forgiveness of our sins. It also reminds us we are “dust to dust” on this life. But the OIL – the oil signifies that God’s Holy Spirit has descended on the person who is anointed. Oil is very significant in the Bible. We read about anointing with oil all through the Old Testament. Who among us would not want to be blessed and protected by the Holy Spirit?! References to anointing with oil are ones of great blessing, joy – hope and promise.

In the New Testament, Lazarus’ sister Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with a very expensive bottle of aromatic oil. In John 12:3, we read that the fragrance of the oil filled the entire house. Mary’s sister Martha was busy with the work of getting a meal together to serve Jesus. Mary was more concerned with worshipping Jesus and giving Him the very best she had – and hearing what HE had to say to her – and she got rather aggravated that Martha was not only NOT helping her, but also that she was using such an extravagant bottle of oil to wash the feet of Jesus! It wasn’t that Mary was wrong – or that service to God is bad – but Mary had the focus a little skewed. It was more important to fall at Jesus’ feet and show Him how important He was than to be busy cooking His dinner!

So when this Psalm talks about people getting along in terms of the wonder of costly anointing oil, we see a picture of pleasing God – even at great cost or sacrifice. And there may be times in your life when it seems that getting along is as costly as expensive aromatic oil! It may seem like biting your tongue and “taking the high road” is almost more than you can bear to do.

The next time you are challenged in a relationship, think of the fragrant oil. Think of Aaron’s anointing in the Old Testament – and of Jesus’ anointing by Martha. Remind yourself that serving God and pleasing Him trumps our own feelings every time. It is far more important to get along, to be civil and kind toward one another. This pleases God… and it blesses us in the bargain!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 12 ~ Psalm 130:5-8
5-6 I pray to God—my life a prayer—
and wait for what he'll say and do.
My life's on the line before God, my Lord,
waiting and watching till morning,
waiting and watching till morning.

7-8 O Israel, wait and watch for God—
with God's arrival comes love,
with God's arrival comes generous redemption.
No doubt about it—he'll redeem Israel,
buy back Israel from captivity to sin.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

At one time, my husband was a Park Ranger for the U.S. Army Corps if Engineers. Early in his career, he worked a lot of nights – on patrol in the parks and/or managing the gatehouse at the park’s entry. In the wee hours of the morning, when all of the campers were asleep, he often found it hard to stay awake himself – and he anxiously awaited the light of dawn and the end of his shift. He was like a watchman “waiting and watching until morning” as verse 6 describes in the King James Version. In THIS passage, the psalmist is reminding us that when we pray, we must then WAIT for God’s response. We must wait as patiently and eagerly as a night watchman – or park ranger – waits for morning to arrive!

We all tend to be so impatient. I know I am LOUSY at waiting for so many things – especially answers to prayers. I imagine God must have quite a laugh watching me twist and turn and wring my hands and conjure up MY idea of how things should go. But I am working at getting better! I am beginning to understand the joy that comes with seeing an answer come into focus… recognizing God’s timing and how perfect it was in a given situation. The more I see God working, the more I understand how important it is to wait on HIS answer and not to try to put my own spin on things.

My life IS on the line before God, my Lord… so I am waiting and watching till morning, knowing that God’s redemptive love will arrive right on time!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 11 ~ Psalm 130:1-4
1-2 Help, God—the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help!
Listen hard! Open your ears!
Listen to my cries for mercy.

3-4 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings,
who would stand a chance?
As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit,
and that's why you're worshiped.

(Scripture from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Have you ever picked up a grocery sack and had the bottom – and all of your groceries – fall out on the floor? Do you remember how helpless you felt? You might have even been frightened at first – and then angry! Now think about your personal life and the times “the bottom falls out” and you can probably get the same collection of emotions, can’t you? When the groceries fall from the sack, we pick them up, collect any broken pieces, clean up any mess, and move on with our day. In our personal lives, who cleans up the mess, neatly rearranges everything, sets us back on course, and moves us along? Hopefully, you turn to God for this… He’s there anyway, working in the background, helping you to “git-r-done.” But so often, we want to spin out of control for awhile and try to repair the damage ourselves… and we foolishly stumble along making an even bigger mess!

I am so glad that God is always seeing after me… caring for me… helping me to right wrongs and “pull the sack of my life’s baggage” back together for me. I am equally thankful that His “bookkeeping system” includes a very big eraser! One of my cousins used to have a saying about certain people… “Once you get on his/her ‘list,’ there is no eraser.” What he meant was that there was no second chance with these folks – no forgiveness, grace and mercy. I am so blessed to know that God has all of these qualities… that forgiveness, grace and mercy are some of His strong suits! We must never take these gifts for granted… we must always be mindful of them – and grateful! Praise God today for “putting the bottom back in your sack” – and for His amazing capacity for forgiveness, grace and mercy.

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 10 ~ Psalm 127:3-5
3-5 Don't you see that children are God's best gift?
the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior's fistful of arrows
are the children of a vigorous youth.
Oh, how blessed are you parents,
with your quivers full of children!
Your enemies don't stand a chance against you;
you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.

(Scripture from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

This Halloween, we had four Trick-or-Treaters come to our door, and we eagerly greeted them with bags of treats. Each was a child we knew well, and we took photographs and invited them inside and enjoyed a few minutes of admiring their costume, how they were growing and what they had learned to do since last we saw them. I have a scrapbook filled with photos of Trick-or-Treaters from years gone by – some now too old to dress up and beg for candy. It is fun to see how the children have grown through the years and to remember how adorable they were each holiday in their costumes – and to reflect on what a blessing these children are and how they have enriched our lives.

In Bible times – and even in recent generations – large families were important. You needed the extra “hands” to help with chores on the farm and around the house. You may have seen the TLC show about the Duggar family in northwest Arkansas – 17 Kids and Counting. In this family of soon-to-be twenty members, the older children help care for the younger ones. The older girls handle the laundry and cooking, while the older boys keep the vehicles running and the yard mowed, and all of the children help with loading and unloading groceries, house cleaning and more. Everyone has responsibilities to help the family as a whole run smoothly.

The Duggars like to say that they will have “as many children as God gives us.” And while it’s not for me to judge how big their family should be, I would think that 18 children was plenty! But as a couple who bore no children of their own, I can tell you that my husband and I are far from “childless.” We have enjoyed countless nieces, nephews and young friends through the years, and God has blessed us with special timse shared with each of them. We like to think we are the best “aunt” and “uncle” in the world!

Whether the children are your own, your friends’, your nieces and nephews and cousins, or children you work with at church or school, each can be a blessing – and each IS a gift from God. As such, they must be treated with love and respect – and nurtured. God does not give us children just so we have someone to care for us in our old age… and in fact, there is no guarantee that your children will do this! Children may very well be a wonderful gift from God – but they are also our responsibility. Just like our little Trick-or-Treaters, they must be showered with love. They must be taught many lessons, given discipline and guidelines. And above all, they must be shown examples of God’s love and Christian living. I believe children ARE one of God’s best gifts… and as such, they require our very best care in return. Thank God today for the children who are a part of your life.

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 9 ~ Psalm 127:1-2
1-2 If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks.
If God doesn't guard the city,
the night watchman might as well nap.
It's useless to rise early and go to bed late,
and work your worried fingers to the bone.
Don't you know he enjoys
giving rest to those he loves?

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Anybody who knows me very well knows I probably need a 12-step program to help me with my “addiction” to the House and Garden TV shows and TLC’s programs on “flipping” houses and “Trading Spaces,” and “Moving Up” the “Property Ladder!” But one thing I have learned from watching the mistakes made by those featured on some of these shows is that in order to ensure that good work is done, you have to be there - supervising. I watched a show recently where a man bought a run-down house with “potential” and hired a crew of carpenters, plumbers and electricians to renovate. He decided that they knew what they were doing, and it was costing him gas money and time to drive to the job site each day. So he set a coded keypad on the door and gave the workers the code – and then he left.

It wasn’t very long until the workers left, too. When the owner returned, he wondered why the workers were not around – and why nothing had been done! “If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks.” If we don’t stay “on the job,” the work probably won’t get done. If we don’t keep God at the forefront of our lives and focus on Him in everything we do and say, what sort of “house” do you think we will have? What does this passage say about us – about our very well being – our very heart and soul? Do you see how important it is to make sure God is at work in us? Did you also notice that even while we sleep, God is working for us, so that we can rest and rejuvenate?

While we are being reminded to keep God first in our lives and at work as our “contractor,” notice the next passage. “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late and work your worried fingers to the bone.” Other translations focus more on the word “worry.” Have you ever had a night when you could NOT seem to shut down your mind and get to sleep? Have worries and concerns – even “good” thoughts of something exciting or anticipatory – kept you awake? The Bible tells us to go ahead and get some sleep – God is “on the clock,” and He will handle all of our cares while we sleep and rest. WOW! Isn’t that amazing? You don’t kneed Tylenol P.M. or Lunesta – you need rest in the Lord!

Let’s meditate on the words of this passage today and give them serious consideration. We shouldn’t lock the door and walk away to leave our own heart and mind unguarded any more than a contractor should leave his/her workers to fend for themselves. We should pay close attention and be sure that God is actively working in our lives 24/7! And we should ask God to handle ALL of our worries and cares… and then we should LET him. Go ahead… rest, renew… God is “on the clock.” HE is in charge – let Him work in your life!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 8 ~ Psalm 122:6-9
6-9 Pray for Jerusalem's peace!
Prosperity to all you Jerusalem-lovers!
Friendly insiders, get along!
Hostile outsiders, keep your distance!
For the sake of my family and friends,
I say it again: live in peace!
For the sake of the house of our God, God,
I'll do my very best for you.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Talk about a timely passage! Now is certainly a time to pray for peace – among nations, among political parties, among races, among people of all faiths. Now is the time to pray that our focus would be on God and HIS Jerusalem… HIS will. Certainly NOW is the time for us to all get along!

This passage ends with the psalmist vowing to do his very best for God. What about us? Are we doing the same? We say we want peace – that we want to live in peace at home, at school, at work, at church, as a nation and as a planet. But peace begins with each of us serving God to the best of our ability. So how is your “peace” level these days? Are you doing your very best for God?

©2008 Debbie Robus

More Studies in the Psalms

November 7 ~ Psalm 122:1-5
1-2 When they said, "Let's go to the house of God," my heart leaped for joy.
And now we're here, O Jerusalem,
inside Jerusalem's walls!

3-5 Jerusalem, well-built city,
built as a place for worship!
The city to which the tribes ascend,
all God's tribes go up to worship,
To give thanks to the name of God—
this is what it means to be Israel.
Thrones for righteous judgment
are set there, famous David-thrones.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Do you know someone who makes a “pilgrimage” of sorts to a special place? Maybe you know someone who returns to their college campus each Homecoming. Maybe your family has a favorite vacation spot on the beach or in the mountains, and you return there each summer at the same time. Maybe you always go to Grandma’s on Christmas Day – or each year you go to the same summer camp. Deuteronomy 16:16 says, “Three times a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles…” (KJV)

The “place of His choosing” was Jerusalem. These festivals were eagerly anticipated. To be able to go to Jerusalem – the Holy City – and worship with fellow believers was a privilege and a cause for celebration. And if you make a “pilgrimage” on a regular basis, chances are good you look forward to going…you are eager and excited about making the trip and all of the events that surround it. You may not think of it as a “privilege” necessarily, but you are glad for the opportunity all the same.

What about the “Jerusalem” of our faith? What about spending time with God – either in church, in prayer, in fellowship with other believers in and out of church settings, and in worship and praise of Him? Do we treat it with the same eagerness, the same anticipation and sense of privilege as we do our “pilgrimages?” There is a version of the first verse of this passage that has been made into a children’s song… “I was glad when they said unto me… let us go into the house of the Lord.” What about us? Are we glad about spending time with God? If not, shouldn’t we be? Isn’t there a little something skewed about being so excited and eager to celebrate and attend things of this world and so weary of spending time with the God of all creation? As we learned in a recent Psalm, He is our “Forever Guardian.” Who could deserve our time and attention more?

I want my ultimate “pilgrimage” to be a daily one – to the “Jerusalem” of my Lord and Savior. I want to be invited into His House each and every day, to talk with Him, to worship Him – just to discuss my day and all it brings with Him. I want the anticipation of time spent in His presence to make my heart leap with joy! The choice is 100% mine – I can have “Jerusalem” every day if I desire… and so can you? So what will it be? Will your days include this “pilgrimage?”

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 6 ~ Psalm 121:5-8
5-6 God's your Guardian,
right at your side to protect you—
Shielding you from sunstroke,
sheltering you from moonstroke.

7-8 God guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

When I was in elementary school, the campus was located in what is now our City Hall – and across Main Street in a yellow brick building that was torn down a few years ago. This building housed grades 5 and 6. While Main Street was nowhere near as busy as it is today, there was still a safety concern for children crossing this thoroughfare to get to the gym and cafeteria (which was where Harps sits now) or to the office (I think that is now home to our Chief of Police!).

For our own safety, we had school crossing “Safety Patrol” – a.k.a. sixth graders who were “awarded” this coveted honor. As “Safety Patrol” members, we took turns standing at the street each morning before school began and each afternoon when school ended (and maybe at the lunch hour, too). We would serve in this capacity for maybe a week or two at a time, stopping traffic so that children could cross the street safely. We wore “pith” helmets (like a man on safari!) and a webbing belt/shoulder strap of sorts with a little badge, and we had a flag on what I think was a bamboo pole. We even had yellow rubber rain gear for bad weather days! When children needed to cross, we held our flags out to signal the cars to stop, and when we wanted to hold the children away from the street, we blocked the sidewalk with our flag. This wasn’t a very sophisticated “stop-and-go” system, but it worked, and to my knowledge, no child was ever hit crossing the street while the “Safety Patrol” was on duty!

This Psalm tells us that God is always guarding us… even when we walk away from Him… and certainly when we return. Sometimes it may feel like God “fell asleep at the wheel” when trials and tribulations and heartache and poor health and financial ruin and temptation hit us… but I promise you, He did not. For every time we feel “unguarded,” we must remember that God was there to protect us from things we never even realized. God protects us from every evil, but sometimes we choose it anyway… and He may allow this. But always, He can use even the worst situation – to help us grow, to turn us in another direction, or to protect us from something even worse than the path we chose.

I doubt seriously that God wears a pith helmet and a badge, but I am very comforted by the thought that He is always my Guardian… even when I make wrong choices or bad decisions. With God, ALL things are possible, and He can always get me “back on the sidewalk” and out of harm’s way. Praise be to God for His grace, mercy and guardianship!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 5 ~ Psalm 121:1-4
1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

3-4 He won't let you stumble,
your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel's
Guardian will never doze or sleep.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

When we think of “the hills,” we probably think of those that surround our little town of Heber Springs. When we think of mountains, probably one of the first that comes to our mind is Sugar Loaf… and most likely you have climbed to the top at least once in your life and looked below to the river valley. You felt the strength of those last rocks as you scaled them to reach the summit. To think that they have stood, solid and firm, for generations is astounding. And honestly, much of the time, we don’t even give the strength of that mountain much thought, do we? We just assume that it will always be there… that the rocks at the top will always be strong and supportive.

In the same way, we may take God’s strength for granted… and God’s strength IS everlasting! He never stops watching over us and protecting us and providing for our care. But that doesn’t give US license to fall asleep. That doesn’t mean we should just assume that God will always be there for us. Our strength doesn’t come from mountains and hills – it comes from GOD! We need to keep this at the forefront of our thinking. We need to be always awake and alert where God is concerned… recognizing His hand in the daily workings of our lives… and praising Him for His goodness. Someone told me just recently, “the only One I talk to EVERY day is God!” Let that be said of us, too. Let’s be sure that no matter what else happens in our day, we stop to talk to God and to recognize his “watch” over our lives.

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 4 ~ Psalm 118: 26-29
26-29 Blessed are you who enter in God's name—
from God's house we bless you!
God is God,
he has bathed us in light.
Festoon the shrine with garlands,
hang colored banners above the altar!
You're my God, and I thank you.
O my God, I lift high your praise.
Thank God—he's so good.
His love never quits!

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

It won’t be long now before many of us will start decorating for Christmas. (You know who you are!) Some of us will have the stockings hung and the tree decorated before the Thanksgiving turkey is eaten! We do love to celebrate, and for many of us, Christmas is a special time to really “go all out” with the decorations. Even many churches have begun decorating, and often that includes festive garlands and brightly colored banners. I really enjoy our church’s Christmas banners and “greens” and the beautiful Chrismon tree with all of the Christian symbols hanging from it in sparkling gold tones.

While Christmas is supposed to be about celebrating the birth of Christ, I’m afraid many of us are not thinking about Him very much as we set out our holiday decorations. And yet, God’s goodness – His amazing love for us in the form of Salvation through Jesus Christ – is worthy of all of the festooning with garlands and brightly colored banners we can muster, isn’t it?! When you get right down to it, EVERY DAY should be a day of celebration – cause for a party and shouting and praising God! EVERY day should be like Christmas!

So as we go into this holiday season… let’s decorate if that is your “thing.” But this time, let’s be sure we have everything in focus. Let’s be sure that as we hang the garlands and the banners, decorate the tree, light the candles and celebrate, we are remembering Jesus. Let’s be sure we are celebrating His birth AND the love and generosity of God for His children – none of whom deserve it! God’s love never quits – so let’s never quit lifting high His praise!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 3 ~ Psalm 118:21-25
21-25 Thank you for responding to me;
you've truly become my salvation!
The stone the masons discarded as flawed
is now the capstone!
This is God's work.
We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!
This is the very day God acted—
let's celebrate and be festive!
Salvation now, God. Salvation now!
Oh yes, God—a free and full life!

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Have you ever watched a stonemason work? When my husband and I built our house, we used a manufactured stone product to accent the exterior and our fireplace and kitchen hearth, giving it a “stacked stone” look. The stonemasons were truly artisans. I had to laugh as SIX men stood and studied and measured each stone… who knew it could take that many people to place one rock! But for every rock they attached to the walls, they probably discarded three. This one was broken… that one had the wrong color… that one was not the right shape… another was too big or too small. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle, they made the “rocks” fit, and the end result was amazingly beautiful.

In the Spiritual sense, we are the rocks. There are many stonemasons… man, the devil, and God. Quite often, man or the devil will toss us aside as flawed… we are too big or too small, the wrong color or shape, or we are simply broken in one way or another. But thankfully, God doesn’t see us that way. He sees us as His creation… perfect – or with the potential to be perfect. Because you see, when we give our heart to Jesus, the blood He shed on the cross washes away every single imperfection (sin) in our lives, and we truly are perfect in the eyes of God.

Makes you want to rub your eyes in disbelief, doesn’t it?! Free and clear, God has bought and paid for us with the blood and sacrifice of His only Son! WOW! If that doesn’t make you feel special, nothing will. If that isn’t worth praising God for, nothing ever will be. Let’s celebrate and be festive. Salvation now! Salvation NOW! Stop what you are doing and thank God for giving us this free and full life!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 2 ~ Psalm 118:17-20
17-20 I didn't die. I lived!
And now I'm telling the world what God did.
God tested me, he pushed me hard,
but he didn't hand me over to Death.
Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates!
I'll walk right through and thank God!
This Temple Gate belongs to God,
so the victors can enter and praise.

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

Have you ever been in a situation where you had what you would consider a “close call?” Maybe a car pulled out in front of you and you swerved just in time to avoid a collision. Maybe you were balancing on a ladder and your foot slipped and you almost fell. Maybe you were out on the lake and a storm came up suddenly, and you barely made it to shore before the lightning, wind and thunder started in earnest. You may have even said afterward that you “saw your life flash before your eyes!” I hope this was not truly the case! But there are so many instances in our lives where we come close to disaster, and miraculously – or so it seems – we are saved.

Spiritually, we often teeter on the brink of disaster… we flirt with sin, make poor choices, or end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. We decide to practice the “Burger King Religion” of having things our way, and the results are horrific. We can really get ourselves into some messes, can’t we?! But the GOOD NEWS is that, while God may allow us to wallow in the mess we’ve made for awhile and become pretty miserable, He doesn’t allow us to perish. When we recognize how foolish we have been and cry out to God, He rescues us.

Because of God’s grace and mercy, we live. He holds the gates of Heaven wide open for us. He sends angels to surround us and protect us from ourselves in more situations than we can count! He LOVES us… do you get that? He wants us to be with Him – to be well and happy and ALIVE – physically AND spiritually. Thank Him today for loving us so well. You are alive in God. Because of Him, you live – both now and for all eternity! Now that’s something worth praising!

©2008 Debbie Robus

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November 1 ~ Psalm 118:5-16
5-16 Pushed to the wall, I called to God;
from the wide open spaces, he answered.
God's now at my side and I'm not afraid;
who would dare lay a hand on me?
God's my strong champion;
I flick off my enemies like flies.
Far better to take refuge in God
than trust in people;
Far better to take refuge in God
than trust in celebrities.
Hemmed in by barbarians,
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Hemmed in and with no way out,
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Like swarming bees, like wild prairie fire, they hemmed me in;
in God's name I rubbed their faces in the dirt.
I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall,
when God grabbed and held me.
God's my strength, he's also my song,
and now he's my salvation.
Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs
in the camp of the saved?
"The hand of God has turned the tide!
The hand of God is raised in victory!
The hand of God has turned the tide!"

(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)

I hope you will pick up a King James (KJV) Bible or a New International Version (NIV) and read this passage. It “sings” so well in those translations. In particular, verse 6 in the KJV says, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” Honestly, when we get a grip on this verse… when we truly settle this in our hearts and rest upon it, our whole world will change!

Think about it. It’s not who you know in the context of people… celebrities or otherwise. Oh sure, that may help you temporarily. But truly, day in and day out, through thick and thin, it is WHO you know… and I’m talking BIG PICTURE here! When GOD is on our side, nothing and no one can hurt us. It may sting for a little while, but He will restore us.

As I read the last verses of this passage, I thought of a football team that is behind on the scoreboard but determined not to give up the fight. They may have their faces rubbed in the dirt, and they may be pushed back to within a few yards of their own goal, but still they keep fighting and working and believing. Slowly but surely, the tide begins to turn, and all of a sudden – with a few yards here and a few more there and maybe a good pass or two, the opposing team’s goal line is within reach. You can hear the roar of the cheering crowd. You can smell an upset. The individual team members reached within themselves and found a strength they didn’t know they had… and it didn’t come from their coach, the cheerleaders, or even their fellow team members.

I won’t say that God literally affects the outcome of a football game in favor of one team or another. But I do believe that when we call on Him, even in a football game, He will give us the courage and encouragement – the strength and resolve – to dig deep and give our very best. And that may make the difference in the outcome of ANY situation! So the next time you find yourself with your “back to the wall,” remember… “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear…” Then raise your hands in victory and thank God for turning the tide!

©2008 Debbie Robus